Lindenwood RB Steve Hall breaks away from a Western Illinois defender on his way to one of four touchdowns in Saturday’s LU Homecoming Game win. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| NCAA Football | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Illinois (3-5 , 2-2) | 7 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 38 |
| Lindenwood (4-5, 3-2) | 14 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 49 |
DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer
ST. CHARLES, MO — Homecoming Day proved to be one of the most thrilling days of the 2024 college football season for Lindenwood University.
The Lions played a back and forth contest against Western Illinois and eventually pulled out a thrilling 49-38 victory over the Leathernecks.
Running back Steve Hall was the star of the day for Lindenwood. The freshman from St. Louis and MICDS High School, ran for a career-high 259 yards and scored four touchdowns to lead Lindenwood to the win. Hall finished the day just 13 yards shy of breaking the school’s all-time, single-game rushing record.
RB Steve Hall (22) ran for 259 yards and four touchdowns in Lindenwood’s Homecoming Day win over Western Illinois on Saturday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Hall scored on runs of 9, 75, 12, and 93 yards to lead the Lions. Quarterback Nate Glantz also had a fine day.
The junior signal-caller completed 11-of-16 passes for 183 yards and two passing touchdowns, while also rushing for 47 yards and another touchdown.
The Lions and Leathernecks traded scores throughout the first half, with Lindenwood leading 7-0, 14-7, 21-14, and 21-17 at halftime. In the third quarter, the lead changed hand four times, as both teams kept crossing the other’s goal line to take the lead.
Western Illinois took its final lead early in the fourth, when quarterback Nathan Lamb, who finished his day with 564 yards and five touchdown passes, hit Eli Aragon for a score that put the Leathernecks up 38-35.
But that’s when Glantz and Hall took over the game for good.
First, Glantz found tight end Darrin Fugitt for a 35-yard touchdown that gave Lindenwood back the lead for good. Then, with the clock running down but with his team backed up against its own goal line, Hall broke free for the 93-yard score that put the final touches on a Homecoming Day win that nobody at Lindenwood will soon forget.
Senior linebacker Vincent King led the Lindenwood defense with 11 tackles (seven solo). Teammate Tre Bell had nine tackles and a team-high eight solo stops, but the big key was Lindenwood forced and recovered three fumbles in the fourth quarter.
The Lions had trouble stopping Western Illinois’ offense all day, but the one thing they were able to do was force turnovers. That helped Lindenwood hold its lead and salt the game away.
Third quarter action during Saturday’s Lindenwood-Western Illinois NCAA football game at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
After playing two straight games at home, the Lions will be on the road next week. Lindenwood will head down south next Saturday to take on Tennessee Tech.
Kickoff at TTU’s Tucker Stadium is set for 1:30 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Qtr | Time | Scoring Play | WIU | LU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 11:05 | LU – Hall,Steve 9 yd run (Seibert,Logan kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:55 | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 08:56 | WIU – Henry,Matthew 14 yd pass from Lamb,Nathan (Chadha,Antonio kick) 5 plays, 65 yards, TOP 02:08 | 7 | 7 |
| 1st | 03:20 | LU – Anthony,John 12 yd pass from Glantz,Nate (Seibert,Logan kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:36 | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 13:29 | WIU – Smith,Cameren 6 yd pass from Lamb,Nathan (Chadha,Antonio kick) 12 plays, 86 yards, TOP 04:46 | 14 | 14 |
| 2nd | 01:02 | LU – Glantz,Nate 30 yd run (Seibert,Logan kick), 9 plays, 87 yards, TOP 03:11 | 14 | 21 |
| 2nd | 00:00 | WIU – Chadha,Antonio 34 yd field goal 7 plays, 59 yards, TOP 01:02 | 17 | 21 |
| 3rd | 09:02 | WIU – Aragon,Eli 2 yd pass from Lamb,Nathan (Chadha,Antonio kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:58 | 24 | 21 |
| 3rd | 08:49 | LU – Hall,Steve 75 yd run (Seibert,Logan kick), 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:13 | 24 | 28 |
| 3rd | 03:44 | WIU – Smith,Cameren 5 yd pass from Lamb,Nathan (Chadha,Antonio kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:05 | 31 | 28 |
| 3rd | 01:50 | LU – Hall,Steve 12 yd run (Seibert,Logan kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:54 | 31 | 35 |
| 4th | 12:42 | WIU – Aragon,Eli 15 yd pass from Lamb,Nathan (Chadha,Antonio kick) 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 04:04 | 38 | 35 |
| 4th | 09:43 | LU – Fugitt,Darrin 35 yd pass from Glantz,Nate (Seibert,Logan kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:59 | 38 | 42 |
| 4th | 01:31 | LU – Hall,Steve 93 yd run (Seibert,Logan kick), 1 plays, 93 yards, TOP 00:17 | 38 | 49 |
2024 LINDENWOOD LIONS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2, 2024 (Saturday) | 1:30 pm | Away | Tennessee Tech | Cookeville, Tenn. |
| November 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 1:00 p.m. | Home | #6 Southeast Missouri State | St. Charles, Mo. / Hunter Stadium |
| November 23, 2024 (Saturday) | 2:00 pm | Away | Tennessee-Martin | Martin, Tenn. |